Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered in March 2021. The manager is dual-registered with Ofsted, and she became the registered manager of this home in June 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of care provided to the children helps them to make progress and to achieve their outcomes. Children have the opportunity to gain new life experiences. One child is now selecting their own clothes and has their hair cut by a hairdresser. These changes have boosted the child’s confidence, and this improved self-esteem is recognised and celebrated by the child and their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager understands how change affects children. Children have experienced some disruption in the home, as two children moved into and out of the home quickly. The manager ensured that these children had a settled period in the home while carefully considering future placements for them. Plans for children moving into the home are well thought out. The manager consults with relevant people and professionals to help form an understanding of the child before a decision is made for the child to move in. Children already living in the home are involved in the preparations to welcome the new arrival.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education arrangements vary, and education is a real struggle for one child. Although educational progress can be sporadic and unsustainable, the manager and staff explore ways to remove the barriers to education. Education plans continue to be created to meet each child’s needs and to help them explore their aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff help the children to make positive lifestyle choices. Risks associated with smoking tobacco or vaping are routinely discussed and this behaviour is discouraged. Children are encouraged to eat healthily, exercise and maintain a good standard of personal hygiene and care. Children’s struggles with personal care are managed sensitively to ensure that children are treated with dignity and not stigmatised or ostracised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spending time with their families. Staff embrace and promote family relationships. Irrespective of the distance, staff transport children around the country to see their families. Staff will also stay with children during their time with their families as these arrangements can facilitate a positive experience and help ensure children’s safety. Families reported that they are very well supported by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with opportunities to take part in activities. However, not all children want to routinely go out, often preferring to spend their time at home. Children spoke happily about their recent holidays, which have provided them with lifelong memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children live in a lovely home that is warm and welcoming. The home is maintained to a very high standard. Large quantities of cleaning products are stored Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 4 in the staff sleep-in room. A lockable storage cupboard would help to prevent a child gaining access to these hazardous cleaning materials.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not demonstrated sufficient managerial reflection or response in relation to evident risk. On one occasion, there was a shortfall in the management of staff conduct. The manager permitted a staff member to continue to care for children, including lone-working, despite an allegation made against the staff member. This does not protect the child, or the staff member. Necessary action was taken to inform external agencies, and internal investigation procedures were followed. There are transparent records surrounding this incident, and the staff are confident in using whistle-blowing procedures. However, the manager did not fully record their final decision-making following this investigation.

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improvement to be good

The safety and well-being of children are at the centre of staff practice and decision- making. Risk-management procedures ensure that the children’s behaviours are understood and underpin the manager’s decision-making. However, this analysis is not reflected in impact risk-assessment records. These assessments do not reflect the exploitation hotspots in the local areas, or that the manager would not place a child who self-harms in the home.

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improvement to be good

The children have internet televisions in their bedrooms. The manager believed that parental safeguards were set to prevent children from seeing anything inappropriate. However, during the inspection, a child was seen to be watching footage of a video game unsuitable for their age.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risks have significantly reduced while living in this home. This includes risks associated with children going missing from the home, substance misuse and self-harm. During this inspection period, there have been no occasions when any child currently living in the home has been reported as missing.

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improvement to be good

The children are settled. Children exhibit minimal risk-taking behaviours and there have been no incidents that could affect the safety of children. The manager routinely facilitates safeguarding discussions and training with staff. This helps the staff to maintain and develop their knowledge and supports their ability to respond to any presenting situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly motivated. She embeds a child-centred culture in which, together with the staff team, she advocates for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The appointment and retention of a core staff team have been a challenge at this home. The manager understands the significance of a stable staff team and continues to explore ways to develop staff in their roles to encourage retention. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 5 Newly appointed staff feel able and supported to carry out their roles as they experience a thorough induction and training programme.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads the team effectively and routinely provides practice discussion and direction. Regular supervision sessions and work undertaken in the team meetings ensure that the staff remain skilled to fulfil their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths and areas for development of this home. The manager listens to the children to ensure that their care experience is positive. The manager has followed formal disciplinary procedures to address shortfalls in staff conduct. This action is documented on staff employment records to inform any future employers. The manager has high expectations of the staff and practice shortfalls are discussed and challenged.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals and families consistently reported that the manager and staff fully understand each child in their care, what their presenting needs are and how to achieve positive outcomes. Partnership working is a strength and the staff pass on concerns to professionals; they also make them aware of the children’s achievements and successes so that these can be celebrated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(b)) 2 December 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that hazardous materials are securely locked away. This is an acceptable security precaution. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.62)  The registered person should ensure that the review of the premises and location of the home contains relevant and accurate detail to safeguard children effectively and inform other relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspectors

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Laura Grundy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2634754 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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